Easy Pickling for Vegetables

You can pickle cucumbers!

Lightly scrape some of the skin (or all of the skin) off cucumbers. Cut into half lengthwise and remove the centre. Slice along the cross section so you get semi-circle pieces. The slices can be as thick or thin as you like. I recommend anything between 4 and 8 mm. If you want smaller pieces you could cut the cucumber into quarters before slicing it.

Lay the slices out on a flat surface and sprinkle some salt on them
(you could od this in a bowl but will need to ensure salt gets to the
slices at the bottom as well). After half an hour to an hour, use your hand to squeeze the water from the cucumber slices. The salt you sprinkled earlier helps induce the water.

Put cucumbers in a jar/bottle/container of your choice (as long as you
can close it). Mix some vinegar and sugar. I tend to use either white vinegar or cider vinegar. I like mine sour so I don't add too much sugar. I also add some freshly ground pepper as well. Pour this into the jar with the cucumbers. Put it in the fridge and let it sit overnight. The pickles should be ready for consumption anytime after this!

I don't limit myself to cucumber. I also have sliced carrots, and
some onion (julienne) mixed with it. Proportions are up to you. It is nice in the summer as a salad. Perhaps towards the end of it, when you have heaps of vinegar in the jar, pour some into some cooked rice and make some cucumber sushi (kappa maki) with it. Normally kappa maki is made with fresh cucumber, julliened, but believe me, it is just as nice with pickled cucumber.

From: linnah@comu2.auckland.ac.nz (Lin Nah)

Refrigerator Pickles

These need to stay in the refrigerator, but they're crispy and delicious! Play around with the recipe, adding your favorite spices and herbs.

Refrigerator Pickles 1

Ingredients

3 qts water

1 qt white vinegar

1 cup pickling salt

4 to 5 lbs cucumbers

1 bunch fresh dill

1 head garlic

Combine water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and refrigerate overnite in glass or plastic jars. Next day, scrub cucumbers. Put some dill flowers and at least 5 peeled garlic cloves into each canning jar. (I like to add peppercorns, too!) Pack cucumbers into jar nice and tight, cover with cold brine, secure lids, and refrigerate at least 3 days. As you take out and devour pickles, put more cucumbers in the jar, and keep the cycle going.

Refrigerator Pickles 3

Ingredients

1 gallon cucumbers and onions sliced

4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup pickling salt

4 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp tumeric

1 1/2 tsp mustard seed

1 1/2 tsp celery seed

1 green or red peppers sliced

Thinly slice the cucumbers and onions into a gallon jar. Heat the other
ingredients in a large pot. Pour over the vegetables. Store covered in
the refrigerator. New vegetables may be added at any time. Keeps for 4
months.